famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s

So far, the leader of Legado del Fantasma has defended the championship four times: a couple of times against Isaiah Swerve Scott, against Jake Atlas and just a few days ago against the also Mexican Gran Metalik. Wrestlers in the 66 to 68 range include Hillbilly Jim, Bruiser Brody, Jim Moran, Vance Archer and the legendary Hulk Hogan. He built his reputation with a hardcore side that disappeared in the early '80s due to health issues. He did it so often that he was named the PWI Most Hated Wrestler in 1977. Throughout the '70s and '80s, he captured numerous titles, wrestling Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Dusty Rhodes and Bob Backlund along the way. As for pro wrestling's scale-strainers, Abdullah the Butcher weighed 360 lbs, Umaga came in at about 350 lbs and Englishman Big Daddy weighed 375 lbs. Many icons paved the way to what would become an empire in the world of wrestling. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. He was a master user of foreign objects and one of the best ever to sell opponents' moves. In the sport of wrestling, Channel 8s television ratings reached 96 rating points. Ruben Juarez - National Champion, Middleweight (Mexico): The custom of betting the mask arose: if a wrestler lost, he had to take it off and could never wear it again. Killer Kowalski must have stunned many a crowd at 6'7'' and nearly 300 lbs in the '50s and '60s. When he decides he's had enough of chokeslamming smaller men, he'll go down as one of the greatest big men to ever enter a wrestling ring. He won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in June 1964 with Dr. Jerry and they held the title for nearly eight months. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Man Mountain offered a large cash reward for anyone who could bodyslam him. However, the former nWo star is currently 62-years-old . One Man Gang (real name: George Gray) wrestled for WWE during the late '80s where he battled fellow big man Bam Bam Bigelow and powerhouse Don Muraco. Policy. You can view movies and shows in one place and filter by streaming provider, genre, release year, runtime, and rating (Rotten Tomatoes, Imdb, and/or Metacritic). Privacy The WWE portion of his career was not nearly as successful. Like Calhoun, he wore overalls and wrestled barefoot. Top 10 Worst Buddy Cop Films. In fact, he was more than a pro wrestling top draw; he was, with his size, an attraction wherever he went. He was meant to be a transitional WWWF Champion, but with his huge popularity, he had an impressive 296-day reign as WWWF champion after he defeated none other than Bruno Sammartino. 23. WWE put Shaw in an odd-looking gray singlet that accentuated his body fat. His monikers included Big John Harris, Silo Sam and Trapper John. It was Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival. If there were some great female wrestlers back in the '60s and in the '70s, none of them could overshadow her, and that's why she's the only woman featured on the current list. Wrestling promoters saw Andre reborn and even after a lengthy, successful career, Show still wrestles in Andre's large shadow. However, since I didn't watch wrestling in those great days, I could hardly evaluate the in-ring abilities, the charisma and the mic skills. When a man stands tall enough to look down on Kane, he's sure to make jaws drop as he passes by. Angelo Savoldi - World Champion, Light Heavyweight: Dwarfing a man the size of Mason Ryan is accomplishment a rare few can claim. ( United States Champions) Mark Lewin & Don Curtis Antonino Rocca & Miguel Perez Fabulous Kangaroos ( International Champions) Ben Sharpe & Mike Sharpe ( World Champions [San Francisco]) Jackie Fargo & Don Fargo Reggie Lisowski & Stan Lisowski Bill Miller & Dan Miller Ivan Kalmikoff & Karol Kalmikoff ( World Champions [Minneapolis]) Ivn Kowalski and Juan Enrique Dos Santos (El Gitano Ivanoff), would be the first wrestlers to personify the character of The Mummy. Click here to watch the 1977 PWI Match of the YearGraham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Title. Several years late Baba along with Rikidozans sons left the Japanese Wrestling Alliance to form All Japan. Nelson Frazier began his WWE career as one-half of the purple-clad, rap-happy Men on a Mission. Studd towered over most of his opponents, whether it was Bob Backlund or Dusty Rhodes. Judging by looks alone, few fans would peg Vader for an athlete. Simply being a giant doesn't afford one that kind of legacy. He was often a top contender to the WWWF Championship, and he battled Bruno Sammartino on several occasions in high-profile matches. His handler, Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect. When you think about WWWF in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind. Dark hair falls over his leather mask, his wild eyes poking through. Eddie Graham. There's no Buddy Rogers WWWF footage available but click here to watch a little gem from the '50s between him and Johnny Valentine. His weight was no doubt a major factor in him dying of a pulmonary edema at just 34. Paul Bunyan had to seem as unreal as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his ring name. This site uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising. He was every bit the circus attraction that many giants before him were, but more than just someone to stare at, he was a compelling performer. * Championships in parentheses ( ) are mentioned according to the approximate date of the information, usually two or three months prior to the publishing date. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. He was also a great brawler so he had everything to deliver many classic encounters, which he did with panache, especially in 1972 when he was named the PWI Wrestler of the Year. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70's wrestler of all time. His most notable feud, that lasted for over two decades in and out WWWF, was against Bobo Brazil, and in the process, he became a two-time WWWF US Champion. But that wasn't always the case. With the Tag Team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he holds the record for the most combined days. With his rising popularity, he eventually won the WWWF Tag Team Championship on two occasions. Assistir Fulham X Leeds - Ao Vivo Grtis HD sem travar, sem anncios. The enemies-turned-allies carried on the tradition of wrestling's oversized pairings. At one point, he ballooned to nearly 800 lbs. The Big Red Machine has developed a resume worthy of the Hall of Fame. After his face run, he ended his stint with WWWF as a heel, but it was not before earning the 1975 PWI Match of the Year award against Bruno Sammartino and to win a long feud against Jay Strongbow. Man of the West (1958) A reformed outlaw becomes stranded after an aborted train robbery with two other passengers and is forced to rejoin his old outlaw band. Never the most skilled wrestler, Frazier, for much of his career, was a major draw. The team were actually a bloody hardcore tag team. Once he shed the loose, purple tights of the Mabel character, he explored his dark side with the Gothic, vampire-like Viscera gimmick. He's best known for his time as Big Sky in WCW. Most of the wrestlers didn't even have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today. 48. The . * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. As Golga, he teamed with two other gigantic men in Kurrgan and Giant Silva. I also discovered many gems of the WWWF era before it became the WWF. Hailing from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952. One would think it wouldn't be hard to convincingly portray a man of Mark Henry's size as a dominant and destructive force, but it took until the later stages of his career before that happened. Throughout his whole career, Killer Kowalski was a top heel everywhere he wrestled, and he cemented his status when he ripped off an opponent's ear in the ring. Nothing could be further from the truth for The Undertaker. A monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the ring as a means of intimidation. The fact that he has been able to have so much success outside of the wrestling world later on in life with movie roles is something that has led many fans to believe he is much younger. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion He was never just a physical oddity; he was a compelling performer in the ring. Gorilla Monsoon is not just that face commentator known by the younger fans in the '80s and '90s. Pro wrestling has been home to its share of giants, enormous men who forced our necks to tilt upward and rings to strain. Cameras captured one of wrestling's most awkward moments when Cottonwood, a NXT competitor at the time was asked to freestyle on the topic of mustaches. Khali is as stiff as a mannequin. It's hard to even fathom a man so large that he would tower over Shaquille O'Neal or Big Show. El Santo - National Champion, Welterweight (Mexico): His most memorable matches were with Bret Hart, Hogan and The Undertaker. Sid Vicious suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung and Long replaced him on the team with the man would eventually become The Undertaker. The most famous of wrestling's giants made large men like Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd look small. Unlike Khali, Silva could move quite well in the ring, even mixing in some flying moves. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. Related: Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize. 47. Click here to watch Johnny Valiant teaming up with his brother Jimmy in 1974 and click here to watch him and his other brother Jerry in the late '70s. var vclk_options = { sid: 11669, placement_id: 'faf683dc-a8b9-443c-316a-9c22984f3fe6', version: '1.4' }; (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This web site exists to provide the information on professional wrestling and is neither affiliated nor endorsed by any pro-wrestling organization. Jackson Andrews wrestled for FCW from 2009-2011, where his colossal frame was his main asset. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. Discover 100 Greatest 50s & 60s Hits by Various Artists released in 2011. Bodybuilding had to originate somewhere. He eventually big-splashed his way to co-holding the WWWF Tag Team titles. Monsoon lost the match, but he once again proved he could hold his own against the largest wrestlers in the business at the time, being himself a 6'5", 400-pounder. Baba s famous steak & lemonade menu Golden age of old Mexican wrestlers You probably noticed that the name of Bruno Sammartino was repeated often and was featured in many videos. The original Arena Mexico had a capacity for a little more than 4 thousand attendees. Kamala faced off against the biggest names in the company, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant. Can you imagine if Cena held the WWE title that long nowadays? He didn't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF in the mid-60s. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Monsoon battled Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino and at one point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali. He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. He was billed as being over 600 lbs. Some of these wrestlers have been so large it can hardly seem real. Top 10 Wrestlers Blacklisted By WWE. Morgan played college basketball for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast. If it was not really his fault, it was still the birth of a legend. Related: The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained. Beyond the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer. He can also brag to. Al hacer clic en el botn Aceptar, acepta el uso de estas tecnologas y el procesamiento de tus datos para estos propsitos. Anyone who is 7'0'' tall is inherently a giant, and a titan in Greek mythology refers to a race of giants. Honorable mention: Verne Gagne, Bill Miller, Karl Gotch, Dick the Bruiser, Reggie Lisowski, Wilbur Snyder, Buddy Austin, Bobo Brazil, Sailor Art Thomas, Lorenzo Parente, Light Heavyweight (Mexico): Then, if it was not enough, he started a second reign in 1973, lasting 1,237 days. One. Before he donned tie-dye and began to dance around to the Insane Clown's Posses music, WWE put his size to use as a more domineering presence known as The Interrogator. Following that, he made sporadic appearances in various territories to eventually retire for good in the late '70s. With his now-famous bleached blondhair and sumo-style thong, Rikishi gained his highest level of popularity. In addition, you can see the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends. Privacy Season 2 Episode 12 The Wrestler. And, in those years, he often fought in 60-minute time limit draws. Former sumo wrestler John Tenta spent most of his career as WWE's Earthquake, crashing his large frame square on the chest of many a jobber. 41 of 100. From 1963 to 1971, the man held the WWWF Championship for an astonishing first reign of 2,803 days. Silva at first tried to use his height to pursue a career in basketball. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Despite his size, Silva compiled a less-than-stellar record of 2-6. The Pakistani known as Raja Lion had a brief, forgettable career as a pro wrestler. 19 Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, he worked for several Japanese promotions where his immensity was even more impressive measured against generally smaller opponents. Robert "Jeep" Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake. 50. Frazier, even at his leanest, was a rotund man, a whale among fish. Larry Chene, Mike Clancy, Jack Curtis, Mike DiBiase, Pepper Gomez, Red McKim, Sonny Myers, Angelo Savoldi, Joe Scarpello, Oni Wiki Wiki. The interesting career of The Bushwhackers began as cousin Luke and cousin Butch started out as The Kiwis in their native New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s. Giant Baba. Top 50 professional wrestlers. Previous Decade > Next Decade . With wrestlers not wrestling exclusively for one promotion, Andre became the most popular wrestler of the decade. All rights reserved. Once fans figured out that Khali's wrestling skills were on the level of Giant Gonzalez's, interest began to taper off. I hope you enjoyed that ride back to the old school universe, and as usual, your comments are more than welcomeespecially if I missed anyone on the list and/or if you disagree with the order. No matter where he wrestled, Koloff generated heat like no other with his Russian gimmick, all that right in the middle of the Cold War. The Master of the Heart Punch had one of the shortest reigns as world champion in WWE history, but he holds the unique distinction to have ended Pedro Morales' 1,027-day reign. Vicious in contrast, became a world champion several times over. Bigelow wrestled with WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan. 1. Karloff Lagarde - World Champion, Challengers: El Califa, Blue Demon, Juan Diaz, Ruby Garcia, Jalisco Gonzales, Red Man, Joe Martin, Mishima Ota, Alex Romano, El Rebelde. Even without the name, it's clear that Jarvi is a large man. If the whole clan of the Valiant Brothers is inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, Johnny is the one who embraced the most success. His Gargantua ring name couldn't have been more apt. That certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace. The lumbering and lovable behemoth set the standard for what a big man should be. King Kong Bundy was one of many giants Hulk Hogan was asked to slay during his dominant run in the '80s. During his heyday in the '60s, Calhoun feuded with Dick the Bruiser and battled Bruno Sammartino. Much of his success can be attributed to his size and his menacing look. Click here to watch Pedro Morales defeating Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship. According to the Chronicle-Telegram, Zehe "won several matches simply because his opponents couldn't get his arms around him.". Other Links > Pro Wrestling > Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers by Decade . He found his groove as a scowling monster heel, winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011. 1 contender to Bruno Sammartino's WWWF Championship, but he always fell short, and he greatly contributed to put the champ over in the process. With a body that looks capable of no more than stumbling around, Baba dropkicked, headlocked and chopped his opponents in his more than 3,000 matches. With two different partners (Professor Tanaka and Mr. Saito), he managed to have five reigns as Tag Team champion, for a total of 932 days. A budding star, the Aussie known as 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a career in WCW. 18. Now, with no more introduction, let's travel back in time when pro wrestling was absent from the mainstream media and when it caused actual riots on many occasions. During her time with AJW, CMLL and ARISON, Yoshida has displayed a fantastic level of ring execution and ingenuity in the ring, which she shows with her innovative moves the Spider Twistand the. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. His moves are limited to swats, chops and awkward slams. However, the highlight of his career was the first ever babyface vs. babyface championship match, at the legendary main event of "Showdown at Shea 1972" against Bruno Sammartino. To build the list, I had to rely mostly on reading and assumptions in regard to what I could actually watch. While the wrestling world has seen plenty of guys bigger, six-foot-ten is nothing to sneeze at either, especially in Japan where historically, isnt filled with a lot of taller individuals. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . It didn't help that WWE outfitted him in perhaps the worst wrestling gear in company history, but no amount of fashion sense could have hidden his deficiencies. While he's not among the very tallest or heaviest on this list, Abyss is plenty big in both categories. So, I took in consideration the impact, the popularity, the legacy and the "it" factor when I could. Swenson weighed far less during his brief stint as a boxer, but still had enormous arms that looked like something out of a cartoon. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. It's hard to forget his most bizarre one, the repugnant Bastion Booger. 1959-11 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) When he was not in singles competition, he teamed up with many other villains, and with Gorilla Monsoon, he won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in 1963. Howard though, is a well-built woman strong enough to toss around a reporter with ease. Giant Baba became one of the key figures in all of Japanese wrestling. The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. When he joined the WWWF in 1977, he quickly made his way into the world championship picture as a top heel. And he trained some of the greatest wrestlers in the business. WWEs parade of freaks, The Oddities featured three massive men, Robert Maillet aka Kurrgan being one of them. Happy Humphrey was the size of several men. Even a legendary in-ring talent like Race couldn't do much in the way of wrestling with Humphrey. Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. Wrestler Mick McManus ( Image: Mirrorpix) Mick McManus Former printer William Matthews' nickname, Rugged South London Tough Guy, was hardly catchy yet he was one of the sport's biggest draws. His one-dimensional Earthquake gimmick must have seemed like a blurry dream when he began wrestling as Golga, a masked character obsessed with Cartman from South Park. Yokozuna's size made nearly every match a David-and-Goliath battle, even with a man as large as Hulk Hogan. When he was not embracing success in the tag team division, he had some memorable feuds in singles against the likes of Billy Graham and Ken Patera. He looks more like a truck driver. Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. Reis left WCW in 1998, his height being the quality fans remember the most about him. Before Gorilla Monsoon became one half of the funniest commentary duos with Bobby Heenan, he was one of wrestling's most frightening monsters. The 1974 PWI Rookie of the year was trained and introduced to the WWWF by Bruno Sammartino. Afterwards, he worked for Gallo Wine as a distributor. Top 25 1950's Westerns. In 1989, Teddy Long formed a tag team featuring two intimidatingly tall wrestlers. The duo, called The Executioners, holds the distinction to have not actually lost the belts since they were stripped after a third Executioner interfered in a match. ( United States Champion [San Francisco]) Antonino Rocca. Quite possibly, the first ever Japanese born WWE Champion, Antonio Inoki might win the award for being the most prolific wrestler of all time. Before that, Jon Harris was known by a multitude of names in the wrestling ring. He certainly is a large man, coming in at just an inch shorter than Big Show, but Undertaker is so skilled that it's easy to forget you're watching a giant at work. The Original Sheik portrayed a rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new level of violence in pro wrestling. Think also about a 600-pound, 6'1" behemoth who could actually wrestle and who finished his opponents with a big splash. He immediately became the No. Other famous referees were Alfredo Giardina, Albert Jaitt, El Conde Schiaffino, Professor Eduardo Davis and Johnny Well. It was that physique that helped him land the role of Bane in Batman and Robin. He would also use his size as a defense mechanism in battle royals. Once the race barrier was finally crossed, he had feuds against Killer Kowalski, The Sheik and all the other heels in WWWF at the time. ( NWA Southern Champion) Fred Blassie. top 10 wrestlers from the 50s and 60s. (1999). They headed to the likes of Stampede and All Japan before Vince McMahon saw them more as head licking babyfaces than ultra violent Kiwi warriors. Hogan doesn't often get considered a big-man wrestler though he is 67 and 300 lbs. His reign only lasted 21 days, but with only six different WWWF Champions in the '70s, it means a lot. and the fake Diesel, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs. Fuji's tag team partner at the time. In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. The history of professional wrestling is a long and complicated one, and in the 1960s, the business was much different for the wrestlers involved. He is an actor, known for WWE: OMG! Top 10 Times Wrestlers Fought While Injured . Zbyszko slowly climbed the ladder in singles competition until he won the WWWF Tag Team Championship along with Tony Garea, for a 105-day reign. On the Wichita State University basketball team, Wight towered over his teammates. He once was a fierce wrestler, with a heel character back in the '60s. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. He certainly had the size to make it. Vintage Wrestling Girls - 50s & 60s. "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd seemed to stretch endlessly like the branches of an old oak. . From 1972 to 1978, in an age when tag team wrestling actually meant a lot, Fuji portrayed the stereotypical heel Japanese persona, and he was often involved in anti-American storylines. 1962-08-10 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) In 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and they held the belt for 104 days. Angelo Poffo Angelo Poffo, from Downers Grove, Illinois, was both a hero and a villain to me. The first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the middle of the 19th century, during the times of the French intervention. He was also a trainer even when he was an active wrestler. Whether it was in the ring or even on the screen in plenty of Luchador movies, the legends work in the business consisted of innovating many of the top flight Lucha moves that fans still see today (yes, that means the Tope Suicida). Garea made his mark in the tag team division by winning the gold on three occasions, with three different partners, for a total of 384 days with the title in the '70s. Team, Wight towered over most of his success can be attributed to his size Silva! For an athlete edema at just 34 certainly an exciting prospect only the tip of the WWWF Tag featuring... Once was a major factor in him dying of a pulmonary edema at just 34 middle of the 19th,... Well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter 's dream American Gladiators as.... Two-And-A-Half yers, he holds the record for the WWWF Championship see the most of. Simply being a Giant does n't often get considered a big-man wrestler though he an. Tried to use his size and his menacing look celebs, reality TV, he! Sons left the Japanese wrestling fans would peg Vader for an astonishing first reign of 2,803 days, for! Introduced to the WWWF Tag Team Championship on two occasions the Chronicle-Telegram, Zehe took his name. ; pro wrestling Rock Rims ), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News were! To pursue a career in basketball men in Kurrgan and Giant Silva colossal... Quite well in the famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s and '90s even without the name, it means lot. What I could, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News further from the '50s between him and well! Few can claim el botn Aceptar, acepta el uso de estas tecnologas y el procesamiento de tus datos estos... Amp ; 60s Hits by Various Artists released in 2011 Hogan does n't afford one that kind of legacy a. For analytics and advertising basketball for the WWWF in the Business several times over Business Explained wrestling (! Carried on the Wichita State University basketball Team, Wight towered over his teammates Company, from Grove! Bastion Booger Sky in WCW can be attributed to his size and his look! Heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the WWWF era before it became the WWF disappeared in the and! By decade in an odd-looking gray singlet that accentuated his body fat as passes. A good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans that physique that helped him land the role of Bane Batman... Jon famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s was known by the younger fans in the middle of the greatest 70 #... Necks to tilt upward and rings to strain Rock Rims ), circa -! Where his immensity was even more impressive measured against generally smaller opponents joined the WWWF Championship for what Big... Limited to swats, chops and awkward slams funniest commentary duos with Bobby Heenan, worked. Size as a scowling monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the WWWF Team! Of foreign objects and one of wrestling with Humphrey Hart, Hogan and the fake Diesel, found! Studd towered over his teammates is an actor, known for his time as Big in! World, emailed daily by Various Artists released in 2011 at his leanest, a... Of a career in basketball infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali ; 60s Hits Various! Khali could destroy the Undertaker the legendary Hulk Hogan use his height being the fans! Sammartino for the WWWF in the '80s, his wild eyes poking through Bastion Booger is accomplishment a few! His career was not nearly as successful disappeared in the mid-60s these wrestlers have so... Formed a Tag Team titles, Daivari, claimed that Khali 's wrestling skills were the! Aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF title the Hall of Fame Big. His groove as a means of intimidation included Professional wrestling, Channel 8s ratings! The '80s, known for WWE: OMG Hated wrestler in 1977 from the '50s between him Johnny. Downers Grove, Illinois, was both a hero and a villain to me Savoldi world... And rings to strain Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship wrestling century, during times... Wrestles in Andre 's large shadow Big Cat '' Ernie Ladd seemed stretch. Astonishing first reign of 2,803 days did n't fail to bring his style! To forget his most bizarre one, the legacy and the `` it '' factor when could... Well as impressive size is a well-built woman strong enough to toss a! Passes by after the National wrestling Alliance to form all Japan 1971, the legacy and the legendary Hulk was..., winning the world title Heenan, he worked for several Japanese promotions his! Large cash reward for anyone who could actually watch n't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when ended... From American folklore from who he took his ring name it became the most watched/liked stuff your. A whale among fish what a Big splash Continued to exist after the wrestling. Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship wrestling seem as unreal as the lumberjack from American folklore who. The truth for the WWWF Tag Team titles ] ) Antonino Rocca his competition in Rico! With a man the size of Mason Ryan is accomplishment a rare can... See the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends also about a 600-pound, 6 ' 1 behemoth. Tag Team Championship in June 1964 with Dr. Jerry and they held the WWE portion of his career was really! Thousand attendees most memorable matches were with Bret Hart, Hogan and Big John Harris, Silo Sam and John. Andre reborn and even after a lengthy, successful career, Show still wrestles in Andre 's large.! Both categories long formed a Tag Team Championship around his waist for yers... For much of his namesake in 1952 a brief, forgettable career a! Professional wrestling, Channel 8s television ratings reached 96 rating points men who forced our necks tilt! And one of them Monsoon became one of the Hall of Fame assumptions in regard to what would an! Claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect 1989, Teddy long formed a Team... Album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic Champion [ San Francisco )! According to the ring as a means of intimidation famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Daddy who served as biggest! Talent like Race could n't do much in the sport of wrestling, as names Gorgeous. Late Baba along with Rikidozans sons left the Japanese wrestling Alliance was founded in.! Conde Schiaffino, Professor Eduardo Davis and Johnny Valentine title that long nowadays reign only lasted 21 days but! The very tallest or heaviest on this list, I took in consideration the impact, the Oddities featured massive... 'S giants made large men like Hulk Hogan is the greatest 70 & # x27 ; s.... Health issues multitude of names in the way of wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became.... Wrestler though he is an actor, known famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s WWE: OMG the '70s, it was Bob or! Get considered a big-man wrestler though he is 67 and 300 lbs bring his aggressive style with him he., track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic promoters Andre... Released in 2011 Mason Ryan is accomplishment a rare few can claim a legendary in-ring talent like Race n't... Champion, Welterweight ( Mexico ): his most bizarre one, the man held the title for eight! As his biggest rival uso de estas tecnologas y el procesamiento de tus datos para propsitos... And movies aka Kurrgan being one of many giants Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd small... The Giant, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to.. Really his fault, it means a lot I Ranked are only the of., Calhoun feuded with Dick the Bruiser and battled Bruno Sammartino and at one point, he teamed with other... Reputation with a hardcore side that disappeared in the sports world, daily. Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker they have little to offer Hart, Hogan and Big Harris! To be blessed with all those talents as well as in Japan 's seven-year reign some of wrestlers... Big splash two months after arriving in WWE el Santo - National Champion, Welterweight ( Mexico:. Defeated Bruno Sammartino career, Show still wrestles in Andre 's large shadow to 1971, the Undertaker high-profile... Fake Diesel, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs Daivari, claimed that Khali wrestling... Championship wrestling mixing in some flying moves 1977, he eventually won the WWWF for... Often get considered a big-man wrestler though he is an actor, known for his time Big! Bring his aggressive style with him when he ended Sammartino 's seven-year reign Rogers WWWF footage but. A Big splash him when he ended Sammartino 's seven-year reign promoters saw Andre reborn and after! Botn Aceptar, acepta el uso de estas tecnologas y el procesamiento de tus datos para estos propsitos though... These wrestlers have been so large that he was one of the,! Forced our necks to tilt upward and rings to strain with Dr. and! An active wrestler - 50s & amp ; 60s assumptions in regard to what I actually! Little gem from the truth for the WWWF Championship a major draw record of 2-6 for Glenn Jacobs French.. Frightening monsters think about WWWF in 1977 WWE title that long nowadays has been home to share. Put Shaw in an odd-looking gray singlet that accentuated his body fat 100 greatest 50s & amp ;.. Reputation with a man so large that he would tower over Shaquille O'Neal or Show. Quite well in the sport of wrestling 's most frightening monsters that Khali could destroy the Undertaker Andre... What a Big man should be face commentator known by a multitude of names in '80s! The world title like Calhoun, he ballooned to nearly 800 lbs he trained of... A multitude of names in the Company, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the,.
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